The seamen have a custome to demand passage-money of every one that never past the streights before. Those that refuse to pay, they seise them and duck them down from main yard end into the Sea. There were several that chose rather to be plunged than to part with their money; for many that could swim would in calm weather, for a smal reward, leap from the main yard and into the Sea, but they alwayes took care to fall streight up (end wayes) upon their feet, with their legs close, into the Sea; for to fall otherwise so high on the water (especially upon the belly) would bruise or spoil a man.
Our seamen told us that they had the very same custome whenever they past between the Burlenges and the main land of Portugal, in their voyages to Lisbon; and a French sailor who was on board us told us of a mad ceremonious fashion they had of dousing every freshwaterman (with a pail of sea-water), which they nicknamed his Baptism, if he never before had past between Les Scenes and the firme land at Bretaigne.
Having run a convenient while on the Barbary coast, we shar’d of toward Gibraltar, and Oct. 12, at 4 o’clock, we were within lesse than a league of it, having it N. b. W. We saw two Flag Ships in the Bay. The mountain that overlooks the Town of old was called Calpe. It seem’d, indeed, very high—much higher than Abila, especially when we were near it.[186] The side to the south shows reddish, and hollow’d in, as if it had been battered down or mouldred away. The top is little and flat, and this, perhaps, might make some of the Antients to compare it to half of a broken pitcher inverted, or turn’d with the bottom upwards. It shew’d very steep towards the E., but in all its shapes as we past bye I could by no means fancy either it or Abila in the least.
At six o’clock we met with two of our men of war going out of the Streights. About 12 o’clock that night, or something after, The Pearl fell foul upon our Ship, and rent of the Gallery on the Larboard side. Some of the passengers (who lay in the G. Cabin) were up, and one of them had just been in that very gallery, but feeling it somewhat cold, he did not stay, but stept into the G. cabin, and in that very moment this damage happened. The crash of the gallery alarmed us all, but we soon recovered ourselves when we understood the whole matter. However, we had all, indeed (especially that Gentleman) a great deliverance, for had the wind or waves become so high as to have rowl’d the Pearl upon us with greater violence, we might have (one or both) gone to the bottome. S. D. G.
Oct. 13. About 11 o’clock the whole fleet was becalm’d on a sodain under C. Malaga; yet, by 6 that evening, we had a stiff gale for half-an-hour. At 8 we came to anchor before Malaga, in 14 fathom water. Next morning, about ten, we went on shore and hosted with Signor Carlos, an Irishman.
The first thing we went to see was the Major Domo, or great Church. It is, to the best of my remembrance, in a manner, round, Scalop’t, as it were, on the sides into 6 or 7 hollow moldings, like vast great niches; and in every one was an Altar for private Masse.[187] The Cupola is hang’d upon rows of pillars, set in a round likwise, so as we may walk conveniently between them and the Entrance into those round Isles or niches. We were there in the time of high masse, yet, so long as we were bare-headed, and behaved ourselves gravely and civilly, we might walk up and down and se every thing without the least molestation. One of our company (a young man who had had the misfortune of too precise an Education), seing we design’d to go into the Domo, came to me and my brethren (the other two Chaplaines going for Smyrna and Aleppo), and askt us whether we were not afraid, and touch’t in conscience, to go into an Idol Temple, as he cal’d it. I told him I was of St. Paul’s mind, To me an Idol is nothing. I could myself freely go into it, if it was an Idol Temple, for God, the searcher of hearts, knowes that I do not do it to joyn in their way of worship, but onely to se it and be the better able to discourse of it as an eye witnesse, and confute what was really unlawfull in it. But I bad him have a care; if he had any scruple, I advised him to go home, which he did. I mention this passage here, because this young man that was so extremely scrupulous, fell into great debaucheries afterwards at Smyrna, and at last turn’d Turk. Let the greatest Saint that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.
We thence went to see Sta. Victoria, which is a convent of Augustines. In their Church are (ἀναθήματα) offerings hang’d up without number, in memory of deliverances and miracles wrought by that Saint, which they there call virgo miraculosissima. Amongst the rest is a small boat of reeds, cover’d over with a kind of Tarpaulin, about 4 or 5 yards long, in which 7 Christians (after their prayers, I suppose, to this Saint) escaped from captivity at Algiers to this port. There hangs up the effigies of a child that was raised from the dead, and a serpent of great length (I guest it 4 or 5 yards), which had been destroy’d by Christians in Africa, and sent hither. There is within (as in most convents) a fair square court, cloyster’d above and beneath; in the upper cloyster are the Brethren’s cells, in the lower the walls are hang’d with pictures, most of them representing miracles wrought by their saints. One was how a dish of fry’d fish, by a crosse of the Saint’s finger (I think it was the founder of their Order), revived, and leapt down out of the dish as quick as ever they were. Another was how he supported a stone of 100 tons weight (that was falling upon him and his attendants) only with his stick, or, rather, with a bullrush in his hand. My brother Huntingdon[188] and I convers’t with the good Fathers that went about with us in the Latine, and as any very remarkable thing occurr’d we interpreted the story in English to our company. Now it happen’d that one Paulo, a Greek (who had been in England some time to learn our language, in order to be a Turgeman[189] to our nation at Smyrna), being by, and hearing us recount these miracles, very indiscreetly broke out into a loud laughter. The Fathers were very highly and very justly incensed at it, and we had much adoe to pacify them, and excuse the folly of the fact. It hath been a warning to me to make better choyce of my company in such places ever since, least I might suffer for the men’s rudeness and childish indiscretion.
Therefore that evening, with more wary friends, we went and saw (San Domingo) the Convent of the Dominicians. It was a very fine and sweet place, built much after the fashion of the former, but much more beautifull and stately. In the middle of the court was a little garden, enclosed with a hedge of oranges and lemons, like our codling[190] hedges; in the quarters stood small orange and lemon trees, and pots of several very pleasant greens. Santering up and down, we walk’t into the Upper Cloyster; and seeing a door and entry open into a fair room, where somebody was talking, one of our company, who spoke Spanish, ventur’d boldly in, but sodainly made a profer to retire, as being mistaken. It happen’d to be a very Reverend Father’s lodging, who presently stept out to us and accepted our apologyes as being strangers, and not knowing our way out. He earnestly invited us in and gave us a noble treat of sweetmeats and fruits, and several sorts of wine. He afterwards caryed us down into a large garden, and bad us gather what oranges and lemons, and what fruits and flowers we pleased, and at last brought us out to the gate, where, with all decent respect, and many thanks for his extraordinary courtesy and civility, we took our leave. He had in his chamber very many excellent pictures; one was of Christ taken from the Crosse, which he valued at 3,000 dollars; besides the admirable painting, I took especiall notice of the unusuall manner of the head, the face being roundish, the hair being flaxen, or inclined to yellow, and the beard short and curl’d round about the chin.
Next morning, Oct. 15, an ingenious Gaille man[191] (one Mr. Jolly) and I, by chance were standing by one of the gates of the City towards the Sea, and talking of the strength of the Town. I happen’d to say that gate seem’d so decay’d and crazy, as surely it could not well be moved without falling to pieces. There stood a man just by us in mean habit (but dressed in all things like a Spaniard) who, in as good English as we could speak, said, Yes, Sir, I assure you it is shut every night and opened every morning, as you may guesse by the Hinges; which were then almost worn away. We were not a little surprised, and we made this reflection in ourselves upon it, that Strangers ought to be very carefull what they talk in their own language in other Countryes before them whome they know not, for they may be better understood then they think for, and easily entrapt or involved in difficultyes beyond what they intended or imagin’d. However, it happen’d otherwise with us now, for, talking farther with him, he proved an high man who was maryed and lived in Town; he was extreamly civil to us, and offer’d to show us what we had not yet seen of the City. We accepted the favour, and with him we went to several Nunneryes, where, instead of dull, mopish, vapour’d women, or grave precise matrons, as we expected, we found as pleasant, bright, and airy ladyes as ever I met with all elsewhere in all my life. Their particular chat is not worth the recounting, but it was extreamely gentile, merry, and diverting. We past for Captaines (I suppose our Interpreter had named us so), and they beg’d of us every where for some cheese, or butter, or Holland, or thin stuffs. We always stick to one answer, assuring them that we had no provisions to spare, for we put into that port on purpose to buy some; we were laden only with Tin and Lead for Turkey, and some cloth which was not our own. They offer’d us many fine works and several sorts of sweetmeats to sale; we bought some which were very admirably well done. My Lord Baltimore[192] had then a daughter in one of these Nunneryes which we saw (I think it was at San Bernado); she was but a girl, and placed there onely for education, and undoubtedly (setting religion aside) it is a way of breeding infinitely beyond all our English Schools. A very lovely sister there beg’d a silver pick-tooth and case of me, and return’d me for it a pretty little picture of the V. M., curiously wrought, all with coloured straw. Platonic love is here very much esteem’d and practised, and really I have that charity and Justice to believe it may be done with perfect innocence. In one place we found a jolly Friar talking at the grate with the Sisters, who, with great civility, retired so soon as we came in. Once, as we were sitting by them, in came a surly, stately Don, very richly attired; and after a profound reverence towards the Ladys, and a kind of a scornfull nod to us, he lean’d his head to the wall by the side of the grate, and with his armes and leggs acrosse, and his eyes fixt upon one of them (which was very ingenious, but not handsome), he stood thare in such a fixed posture as, had it not been sometimes for a sneaking silly sigh (true or feign’d, I know not), you would have thought he rather saw Medusa’s head then his dear Dulcinea’s face. He spoil’d all our mirth; all was hush’d, and after a decent pause we left him to his Devotions. He askt our Interpreter whether we were Catholics; he answered Yes, and all past very well.
One of our English Merchants there (of good repute, though I shall not vouch the truth of his story), hearing me recount this adventure, told us that about 7 or 8 years before, soon after his first coming to Malaga, he had got acquainted with a young Sister, and often waited upon her, as well to divert himself as to perfect his Spanish Tounge; for there at the grate you have all the newes that is stirring, and the best and most refined language. He by degrees was wheedled into such fondnesse, as the presents which he had at several times made her came in a short time to about 40 lb. He found (being but a young beginner) that his trade would not bear so expensive a diversion, where upon his visits were more seldome, and his presents very few and meane, and at last he came no more at her at all, nor answer’d one line, though he received many most passionate ones from her, and there had past many such (as the manner is) betwixt them before. Not long after, he was one evening set upon by a Rogue (which she had hired), and was desperately wounded, and narrowly escaped with his life. The Rufian soon after confest it, being himself mortally wounded and taken in such another enterprise. And here I cannot omit another story of our worthy Captain. About 8 or 10 yeares since, he had great concernes with a wealthy Spaniard, a merchant of this City, and very much kindnesse past between them, insomuch as they call’d brothers, and Captain Hill lay on shoar at his house and was freely treated there, sometimes for many dayes together. It happen’d that another Spaniard (a neighbour who often came thither, and was of both their familiar acquaintance), being a great Bigot, and very zealous for the Roman way of worship, often made attempts upon our Captain to make him a Prosolyte; and there being once some great Festivall and a solemne procession to be made, he desired our Friend to be there, adding that he doubted not in the least that he would then yield and be convinced of all his errors. The Captain, having appointed either some business or some other recreation, civilly excused himself, and thank’t him for his kindnesse and good wishes. It so fell out in the procession that, as they were carrying the Image of the V. M. on men’s shoulders in Triumph (as their manner is on such occasions), either by the stumbling of the bearers or some other miscarriage, over she tumbled, and fell down directly on her face upon the stones. At night all three met to sup at the merchant’s house, and immediately this zealot accosted the captain: “O, Sir, had you been here to-day at the procession to have seen the many miracles which were wrought, I am sure you could no longer have resisted the truth; such a blind man received his sight, and such a deaf woman recover’d her hearing, and a poor neighbour of ours, that hath gon with crutches to my knowledge these many yeares, threw them away, and leap’t and walk’t as well as I can do.” Our Captaine, who had heard of the Ladye’s misfortune, reply’d: “Surely, Sir, it is a wonder indeed that the B. V. cured the Deaf and the Lame and the Blind; I heard she fell down and broke her own Nose. I pray, can you tell whether she cured that or no?” The Bigot, at this gibe, fell into such a rage, as nothing at first would serve turne but the poor Heretique must go into the Inquisition; and neither former friendship nor Interest nor persuasion could prevayl of a good while to pacyfy him. The good Merchant himself (the common friend), being not a little offended, though it was spoken onely in merriment, and under (the Rose, as we say) the freedome and protection of his own house. So nice a thing it is in some countrys to jest or meddle with the publick Religion.
There is a Nunnery here (as I remember, it is call’d San Joseph) where young infants are received and brought up: Poor people that are not well able to provide for their children, or others who have Bastards, secretly bring them in the night, and, pulling a bell to give notice, they lay them in a moving kind of hollow Roller placed in the wall on purpose, and so turn them in, themselves who bring them being unseen and undiscovered. If the child be baptised, the name is noted or written upon the breast, and oftentimes mention is made of some peculiar mark made by nature or Art somewhere on the body, by which they may be known again; and there is also a register kept in the convent of all that are so brought in. In my opinion it is a very great peice of charity to allow such places, though at first thought they may indeed seem a kind of encouragement for lew’d persons more securely to commit wickednesse; yet, undoubtedly, they save the lives of many poor innocent Babes. I have met with those who have ventur’d to say, that if a poor Votaresse there, or any where else in Town, should by chance steal a taste of forbidden pleasure, the Fruits of her frailty and the honour of the Society are this way secured; but I always look’t upon this as a satyrical conjecture rather then a known truth.
The Spaniard’s common diet in Malaga, such as it is, is extraordinarily cheap. We took my landlord’s dinner the first day, which was a large ensalada or sallet, a pottage of onyons, gourds, and herbs; a little fry’d fish, dryed and cold, with oyl; mala infana (which they call here Melongenas), a sort of gourd, pear-fashioned, some as big as my fist (I think Gerard calls them in English mad-apples[193]), split and fil’d with a little pepper, oil, and salt, and then broil’d or stew’d: these, thus drest, they count rich food, and they slice them also into their pottage. Of these and such stuff eight of us eat what we could, and paid but a Real (about 6d.) for all, besides bread and wine; but at night, for 4 fowles and a neck of mutton stew’d, six of us paid a dollar and half apiece, besides wine, which is near 50 Shillings of our money; and next day, at dinner, for one joynt of mutton and a little forequarter of Lamb and two foules, 12 of us paid a dollar a piece, besides wine, which is about 3 lb. English.
We staid one night with mine Host on shoar, and we had a proud fellow which entertain’d us a while with a song or two to a Guitarra. He first lay’d by his old threadbare cloak with great deliberation and wonderfull gravity; then, with his dagger behind and his hat cock’t, his eyes staring, his browes bent, and his Mostachos new brush’t, he yell’d and acted with that strange state and fiercenesse, as if he had been swaggering at some desperate criminals and threatening to hang them; but, with a Real or two we came off well enough. After supper and a little chat we thought of our lodgings. All that lay on twills and bedsteads were sorely bitten with little bugs, which left hard knobs and pimples wherever they seised. I, with one or two more, had the fortune to putt our twills for coolnesse into the middle of the floor, which (as all above stairs as well as those below are) was laid with brick, and we escaped all these pestilent companions. These insects, so well known in all hot countryes (but to us never seen before), are here called chismes and chinches, and in Italian cimici, from the Latin cimex, in French punaises; they are shaped much like a spider, but far lesse, with six legges and a bottled[194] breech, the back being often reddish. They are truly cal’d by Pliny[195] most nasty animals, for besides their venomous bite they have (especially if they are bruised) a most intolerable filthy smel. One of our comrades, catching one in the night as it was preying upon him, and thinking it had been a flea (after a slovingly custome which he had got), bit it with his teeth, thinking so to kill it; but the abominable stink set him on vomiting in such a manner as he verily thought he had been poyson’d; which make me amazed how they came to be prescribed inwardly by the antients as a medicine against feavers,[196] unlesse it was that (after the Italian proverbe, Un Diavolo scaccia il altro) one devil drives out another; but, perhaps, being drunk in wine, they may go down whole, and not prove so nauseous. We started a controversy, whether these chinches and fleas, and gnats (and flyes) have any smeling or no, and we concluded clearly in the affirmative, not only because these never stir out of their holes and lurking-places till the steam and perspiration of your bodyes invite them, but because all strong smels drive them away, as the savour of wormwood, Lavender, Rue, Hemp, Hops, Russia Leather, and the like, and the smoke of these and such other strong smelling herbs doth the same. And we were told here that many use the Squilla or Sea Onyon, cut into pieces, and thrust into the joynts and crevices of their bedsteads, or strew’d on their mats; as likewise they presse out the juyce of them, and use it in like manner. It is manifest that the fierce effluviums of these things very grievously affect these vermin, and seeing they all have eyes, why may they not as well have organs of smelling, or something Analogous to it?
Malaga is prettily well fortifyed for fear of surprise from the Moors; it hath two Castles—one upon the side of a hill, and the other at the bottom of it on the East side of the Town; and there is a communication between them both, made by two walls reaching from one to the other; but there appears a higher place, which, if it was possest and planted with canon, could command them both. There is also an Arsenal, but what store of armes and warlike provisions were in either this or them I know not, for we were told we should not be permitted to se them, and therefore never attempted it. It is a part where most vessels going to or coming from the Levant put in. There is a great trade driven there; it is famous for Almonds, Raisins, Oile, great olives, and rich Sack. The grapes which make the Raisin are very fat and fleshy, affording nothing near so much juyce as those that make the Sack, and therefore they are the sooner dry’d by the Sun. We tasted their old wines in many places, and to my palate they seem’d all much more fulsome and sweet than our old Malagas in England, which have had the advantage of the Sea to refine and harden them. We brought good store of the best we could find on board, with plenty of all sorts of fruits and fresh provisions.
That night, Saturday, Oct. 15, about 11 o’clock, we weigh’d Anchor, and Capt. Pool, in another man of warre, came out of port with us. I think he was in the Guernsey frigot. Next day the Admiral, Vice-Admiral, and several Commanders came on board and din’d with us.
Oct. 27 we dined on board the Martin, and our Admiral gave us new orders in case we should be engaged to fight with any Enemies, and that evening we discouered thre ships with white ensigns, which proved French, of Monsieur Martells Squadron, lying about Tunis and Tripoly. The French Admiral himself was in one.
Oct. 29, Saturday, we lay on the South end of Sardinia, with Epulo[197] N.E. b. N., 10 or 12 miles distant from us. The Admiral that Evening call’d a Council of all our Commanders, and told them he had orders from the Duke of York to go to Tunis and stay some time there; That he had a letter for the King of Tunis from our King about continuing our league and peace with him, For at that time we had peace with Tunis, but war with Argieres; the French on the contrary had peace with Argieres and war with Tunis, and we had a current report that Sir Tho. Allen and Monsieur Martel, the French Admiral, had agreed to let English ships of Merchandize go freely into Tunis, and French Merchant Ships into Argieres, provided they caryed no provisions, or ammunition, or stores for war. We had met thre French men of war, and we understood two more lay near Tunis to block up that Port. From all this arose a grand dispute amongst the commanders, whether it was safe for us to go into Tunis or not. Whether we should hazard such a prize as all our Merchant ships were. It was urged that there might be more French ships there than we knew of, and it was uncertain what they might do with us. That the Tunesas might break with us upon such an opportunity as this, and seize our ships and Merchandize. Some dowbted that the Admiral had no such order, and it was thought when we dined on board the Martin (who was bound for Tunis) that the Captain of her contracted with our Admiral to se him safe in, and so all was mere pretence and fiction. Some question’d whether the Admiral could command us to attend him; others, whether by their Charter party with the Turkey company they were not obliged to ply their voyage and accompany the convoy no farther than it consisted with their safety. It was asked who could justify the agreement between Sir Tho. Allen and Monsieur Martel? and many such quæres and difficulties were banded to and fro; but at last the Admiral positively resolved to stand by his order, and our Capt. and all the Commanders of our Turkey ships agreed to go in with him except Capt. Partridge, who was as stifly set against it; and, returning on board his own ship, he divulged the whole businesse amongst his passengers, adding all the aggravations of our danger, and suggesting all the arguments of Fear he could to them. Presently came many on board us sorely frighted, and zealously opposed our going in, insomuch as the two new Treasurers of the Turkey Company (then going out, one to Smyrna, and the other to Aleppo) threatened to enter into a protestation with Capt. Partridge against the Admiral’s proceedings, and courted us to joyn with them. We civilly denyed it, telling them that we trusted in the known prudence and careful conduct of our own Captain, and should cheerfully go along with him wherever he caryed us. However, all this while these disputes were kept, as much as possible, from the common seamen, for fear there should have arose a Faction among them likewise; yet secretly all commanders were thinking of some preparation against the worst, and that night we shaped our course for Tunis, steering S.E. ½ S. Next morning, Oct. 30, about nine o’clock, we spied the two Frenchmen of war, just upon the Coast of Africk, as we thought, setting out of Porto Farina; they stood towards us a little, then went westerly, and never came near us by 7 or 8 leagues. We bore away directly for Tunis, and upon this all the rest of our ships in company went along with us; and that afternoon at 2 o’clock we got under Cape Carthage, where all the Commanders went on board the Admiral, and soon were agreed and well pleased; and at 3 we came all to anchor before Tunis castle, in 4 and 5 fathom water, the Cape lying N.N.E., the Castle W. b. S.
That night we went on shoar for water, but were not then permitted to have any; yet we might freely ramble upon the shoare. The Castle seems very strong to the Sea. We were not suffer’d to view the other side to the Land. By the Castle they have several pools or ponds of standing water, one of which (as we were told) can, at pleasure, have communication with the sea. These are full of fish. We bought good store of Mullet, and there we had one true Bream, large and very fat. We had them very cheap, as we thought, but our Interpreter counted them dear. There were several sorts of fruit brought to us—excellent melons, Pomegranates, Limes, and salating herbes, with which we stock’t ourselves, and so came again on board. Next morning (Oct. 31) we went on shoar at the watering-place, where were come down many country people with Eggs, Hens, Sheep, Goats, Bullocks, milk, Pompions, Fish, Pigeons, citrons, Dates, Oranges, Lemons, and Limes (which are a sort of hedge or crab Lemmons), with whose juice our Seamen make their punch. There was also store of bread to be bought. They make some of it of pure good wheat, most of it of millet, some of what we call Turkish wheat (maize), much of barley flour, and lighten it with leaven of salt and sower’d honey and oil, which give it a brackish taste, yet it is not unpleasant whilst it is new. They bake it flat, with a rising in the middle like a coppled[198] cake. Every ship stored themselves from hence with what they wanted of sea provisions. Our Capt. caried a net on shoar, which by all our Seamen was called a Sain (I suppose from σαγλιόν, Sagena, Math. xiii, 47). It was a sort of drag net. Having obtained leave, we turned it twice or thrice in the sea, but we catch’t few fish, and those very small ones. They wer Mullet, Barboni, and our common plaice, and a little sort of what we call Maids. I hang’d a little Barboni up in my cabin, and it gave forth a little thin light, like that of rotten wood, for many nights together; and by degrees, as it grew dryer, it at last vanish’t. I did not then take notice of the change of colour in them (whilst they are dying) which Pliny[199] mentions, and for admiring of which Seneca[200] rebukes and flouts at some Romish gluttons.
Some of our Captaines and Passengers with me hired a couple of their Janisaryes, or rather souldjers, to be our Guides, and away we went together to see the Ruines of Carthage, which reach quite from the watering-place near the Castle up beyond Cape Carthage, agreable to what we read in Polybius,[201] near upon ten miles as we guest, but the guides said it was fifteen, which may seem probable enough, for Strabo[202] makes the old City only to have been in compasse thre hundred and sixty stadia, which is five and fourty miles, at eight stadia to a mile; yet Livy[203] makes it not much above half as much. And the ground lay in hills and dales, so as we could by no means make any tolerable judgement. Of from the shore, for a mile together, the Land was then sown with Barley, but all that ground is so full of small rubbish as a man can hardly set his foot upon cleer Earth; Jam seges est ubi magna stetit Carthago. We went first by the sea side, where they make Salt by letting in the Sea Water in Summer into broad shallow flats, and, after the Sun hath exhaled the moisture, the Salt remains in great panes behind. We saw great quantities of it here and there heapt up, which they told us was for the Grand Signor. Whether they have the art to refine it, or whether they send this coarse (bay) salt (as we call it) to him, I did not think to enquire. However, I find in Pliny[204] that, of old, the Africans made great quantities of salt upon this coast, about Utica, now call’d Biserta, which is not above thirty miles from hence to the west, just on the other side the River Bograda. These men may as well now be said to make Hills of salt as those were then, and I believe it is altogether as dry and hard as that was. Perhaps some of that which we cal’d common salt at Constantinople came from hence. We were informed by our Guides, who spoke broken Italian and lingua Franca (which is bastard Spanish, mixt with words of most trading nations), that from Cape Carthage to the Castle was once Terra firma, full of rubbish as the rest now is, but by an Earthquake it sunk down. It is very likely, or perhaps the foundations of the city were laid in the Sea, for we saw from the shore many broken pieces of walls and ruines of buildings under water; and our Seamen, in Haling the sain, found the bottome very foul ground a good way from the Shore into the Sea. Along by the sea side remain at land many, many Vaults, some cover’d in part, some all over, some quite open. In summer, people come down from several places, and keep shop here. The hardnesse of the mortar in these and other remains is very remarkable; a stone will very hardly break it, yet it is not fine, but the sand, or red earth, intermixt, is very grosse, and full of small pebbles. One Vault, a little distant from the shore, seem’d to go far under the ground. We could see in about a furlong, but did not go in far because we wanted lights. It was crosse-arched to a row of pillars in the middle. I fancy’d it might have been part of the stables underground for Elephants, which Strabo[205] saies went in the neck, or Isthmus, from Sea to Sea, sixty stadia, or about seven miles. We found, now, great quantities of bones of Foules and other little creatures in it, and it smelt strong, so as we believed it now to be a receptacle or den for foxes or wolves, or such beasts of prey.
We went thence up from the sea towards the middle of the Ruines. All the way there remaines pieces of walls and buildings, but not one pillar or stone of any note. There lye heaps of rubbish so thick that it is impossible to plough in that part, unlesse they removed it, which would be at most as tedious a piece of work as to rebuild it. There was amongst the rubbish much Alabaster, Marble of all sorts (white, Black, Red, streaked red and white, white and black, and the like), a sort of red stone, porish, but much harder then brick. We observed not one Flint, no sort of Free-stone, very little brick, onely in one side going up to Cape Carthage all was brick, and nothing else, but not one whole one nor half one was to be found. The earth at a distance shews red with the crumbled and scatter’d pieces. There was also much white brick, extream hard. In one place we found small pieces of Porphyry, and some thin flat bits (like broken pavements) of blackish marble spotted with green, like a sort of what we call serpentine stone. I am more particular in this point, that we may from hence have some guesse at the Beauty and Majesty of this City when it was standing in its Glory, for if our houses in London shew so well, being all built with plain brick, what would they have done had they been all of various Marble?
At last we came up to a place which our Guides and our Seaman call’d Queen Dido’s Tomb. We all concluded at first that these were the Elephant Stables so much talkt of by old Authors, but at last I chang’d my opinion, and do now verily think that they were onely cisternes for keeping of water, as Tunis[206] is also now supply’d by such cisternes. We were told that farther up towards Cape Carthage there are more considerable mines, and finer things to be seen; but there was a Mosque there, and several houses about it, where we were informed many Dervises or holy men lived, and that it was dangerous going amongst them. Leo Africanus makes them very great, but we were not near enough to judge anything of their Grandeur. However, I and another happened to straggle a little that way from our company, and one of our guides threw down his mantle and his staf, and would not stir till we came back; for he said his head would go for it if we should commit any error, or come by any harme through his neglect, so he hallow’d us backward, and we obey’d. It seems sometimes there are streight Arabs (i.e., Arabs from the Straits) lye lurking about, not far off from the shore, who, if they can conveniently snap any stranger, they will spirit him away and sell him for a Slave; so that upon all accounts I think it was very well that our curiosity carried us no farther that way.
When we were come on board, we design’d next morning to go and see Tunis, but this unhappy accident disappointed us. Most of our malcontents, before mentioned, went thither in the morning when we went to Carthage. We had no Factory there, but onely an English Consul to do all our business, whose name then was Mr. Earlesman. They waited upon him and embroyl’d him with their story. Our Admiral had wrote to him the night before to invite him to dinner that day, but the letter chanced to pass through some of their hands, and came not to him till past ten o’clock, being then delivered by one of them. The Consul (whether upon this account, or whether he staid to entertain them, I know not) staid at home, and returned no answer to the Admiral, who staid dinner for him, and at last was disappointed in his design’d treat. About eight at night the Consul came to him to excuse himself, but the whole matter was so ill-resented by the Admiral, as he resolved to weigh Anchor that night. The Consul urged that the Martin (the ship which the Admiral was so earnest to bring in there) was almost unladen (for all our ships’ crews helpt him with their long bootes), and would infallibly be ready to go with us by twelve the next day, being bound for Zant. But the Admirall thought himself too much neglected; first, because the Consul came not of his own accord to wait upon him; next, because he came not when kindly sent for; so, in a heat and a hurry, we were all forced to weigh Anchor that night about eleven o’clock. Several, perhaps, that staid at Tunis all night, were left behind. Paulo, the Greek, with whom we were embroyl’d at Malaga, was one, and one of the Admiral’s passengers was another, being an Armenian Bishop, who had studyed sometime in Italy, and now went home as a Roman Emissary or Seminary. All our Ship’s company were, by good fortune, on board, and we came away together.
We had newes at Tunis that twelve Algerine men of war were gon to the Eastward; some designing for the Archipelago, others for Rhodes, Cyprus, and those parts towards the end of the Mediterranean. This made our whole fleet keep company together, and for this reason the Consul was more earnest that the Admiral should take the Martin away with him, but it was left behind. Notwithstanding this ruffle between the Admiral and Consul, when the Consul went of (which was about nine or ten at night) he was complimented with nine guns, being in that station the King’s representative.
Nov. 7th. At two o’clock the Admiral call’d all the commanders on board to a consult, and the next day we dined all on board the Assurance.
Nov. 8th. Tuesday, when we were past Zant (having C. Matapan to the E. about eight leagues, and Sapienza about ten to the N.), about five after noon we saw a spout to the Northward. We had most dismal turbulent weather for thre whole dayes and nights, and a constant rain, with most dreadful thunder and Lightning almost all the time. The dry weather which we had till now had so parch’d the wast[207] of the ship and the upper timburs, and made all above so leaking, as I could not keep my cabin dry; one night I was soundly wet as I lay on my bed. I was informed that it was very usuall to have such tempestuous weather hereabouts at this time of the year; and our captain told us that in Zant earthquakes are very frequent, that he hath known twelve in a week. That the people in summer almost all leave their houses and live abroad till winter. That on the west side, far from the Sea, is a mountain that spues forth a sort of petroleum, or Bituminous Lime, as black as soot, and it will grow hard and look like it, which was not unknown to Pliny.[208] This issues out on the East side of the mountain, and flames alwayes arose plentifully when the west wind blowes, and hath then a stronger smell then at other times.
Wednesday, Nov. 9th. The Sailors that had been on the watch told me that in the night, after the storme was over, they had seen two little Lights, one at the foremast top, the other hanging upon one of the main stayes. They call’d them Corposans; I suppose from Corpo Santo, as the Italians name them, believing them to be the Ghosts of some saints who come to relieve them. But our men would hardly be persuaded but that they were not some Hobgoblins or Fairies, or the inchanted Bodyes of witches, and we had many a fine story told to that purpose. The Heathens of old when they saw but one named it Helena,[209] when two, both, that is, Castor and Pollux; why they were then made the Seamen’s Tutelar Gods or saints you may see at large in Natalis Comes,[210] and determine whether the antient or modern superstition is more justyfiable. Our seamen assur’d us that in many voyages to the Indyes and elsewhere they have seen sometimes six or seven together (sometimes many more parted or splintr’d into small globulor sparks, like pills), and hanging as it were on the yards and sails, or upon the masts, but most commonly aloft, which makes me adde this one reason to what Carles[211] hath given us why so many sometimes appear together in our dayes, whereas not above thre at most (and that most rarely) are mentioned as ever seen together by the antients, viz.: as our Ships are bigger, and of more ballast and burthen, so their masts and yards and riggings are caryed much higher, and by consequence more of that unctious gleam, which after the dissolution of the clouds and ceasing of the Tempest remains dispersed in the Air, and affords matter for these Meteors, is rather aloft than nearer to the Hull of the ship, and so is more plentifully met with all by the upper rigging and tackles, and cleaves to them. And asking farther about this point, they told me these lights are oftner seen and more together upon a tall ship then upon a pinnace or small vessel.[212] I was not a little displeased with our seamen who were on the watch that night, because they did not call me; whereupon the next night (Nov. 9) they did call me, for after very much Thunder and Lightning and tempestuous weather, about four o’clock appear’d two more, one towards the main top, which disappeared before I got out, the other was at the very top of the fore-mast. They told me it was beginning to fade. It seem’d a dim light, as of a flame, shining through a steam or smoak,[213] about the bignesse and shape of an ordinary egge, the top a little wavered, and growing fainter and lesser it soon went out. When I came back into the great Cabin, there appear’d a Circle about the candle which stood on the Table; I would call it rather a Halo, because it was very little coloured. The farther we were from it the plainer it appear’d and bigger (almost as broad as both my hands); as we came nearer to it it lessen’d proportionably, and just at it we could not perceive it, all which depended on the various refractions through the moist and mixt vapours which then fill’d the Air. One of our Mates told me that once, as he sailed formerly in these streights, there appear’d a very bright Helena at the very spindle of the main top mast, and one of their men went up and moved his hand round about, and neither saw nor felt anything, when they below saw it all the time. We sent up one to ours, but before he got at it it went out; perhaps his approaching might move and part the Air, and contribute something to its so soon vanishing. But if what our Mate told us be true, it requires more consideration than I thought fit to afford it at that time, unlesse I had seen the like.
Nov. 10. Cape St. John (or the west end of Candia) lay in sight of us S.E., and the Admiral came about ten o’clock on board us to take his leave. After two houres stay he went of, and we gave him seven guns, the three last with shot, as a token of more respect. His Ship answer’d again with great civility. Capt. Partridge, with the Turkey Merchant (whether he had not yet fully digested his discontent about our going into Tunis, or whether it was the natural rugged temper of the man, I know not), sailed away before the Admiral, for Scanderoon, without taking any civil leave, or firing one gun. We remained now but seven in company: six Turkey Merchant Men and Capt. Wild in the Assurance, our Convoy and Admiral. After Capt. Robinson and Capt. Partridge were gon, Capt. Wild came to dine with us, and as we were set newes was brought in by one of our powder monkey’s from the Top Mast head that there were five great ships a Head, coming stem for stem towards us. We all concluded that they were some of the Algerines before mention’d, therefore Capt. Wild immediately returned to his Ship, and gave the signal to the whole fleet to make ready to engage them. At the top mast head, with a glasse, I made seven of them, there being two small vessells besides the first five. It was pleasure to se the great alacrity and readinesse, I may say the eagernesse, of our Seamen in preparing for the dispute. All their Hamocks were down in a trice; their chests and lumber turn’d out into the boates, or stived[214] by the main chains or elsewhere, out of the way. We had a clear ship in a very little while, and all our men posted in their several quarters, and rounds of powder and ball provided by every gun. Our Captain told me, if I pleased I might go down into the hold, and be safe there with the Chirurgeon. I told him if he would give me leave I would rather stand by him all the while, for I should as heartily and (he need not doubt) as earnestly pray for our good successe there as any where else. He thankt me, and told me it would not a little encourage his men to se me above board. With that all our Passengers took heart and came and stood with me upon the quarter deck, where were armes and ammunition provided for us all. We were to be the second Ship in the line, and after we had all made a little back till we were all ready, we bore up bravely to them. But when we came at them they proved five French men of warre, with one Satée[215] and another small vessell with a meson[216] and stay sail,[217] which I suppose were as Tenders.[218] They belong’d to the same Squadron with those which we saw by Tunis under Monsr. Martell. One of their Lieutenants went on board our Admirall, and told him that they came from Toulon, and had been looking out for Tripoleses and Tuneses, who it seems had been there abouts six or seven days before. Being asked, he said the Algerines were about Rhodes and Cyprus. And thus our scare fight past over, without any blowes. My Curiosity was fully gratyfied with this Prelude of a battle, for I believe I could give a shrewd guesse at all the rest, and that I then thought enough. Though indeed I did not see the least sign of fear or want of courage in any one, yet I suppose all of us were well satisfyed and pleased to sleep that night in a whole skin.
For thre or four dayes the wind was full in our eye; we tacked and tumbled backwards and forwards between Cerigo and the W. end of Candia; then we got between C. Matapan and Cervi; and having been thus beaten up and down, and made no progresse, and little hopes being left of a fair wind, by consent we came all to Anchor on the S.W. side of Cervi,[219] in nineteen fathom water, about five o’clock, Nov. 14, afternoon. That evening I went with the Captain in his pinnace sounding the several depths in the bay, and then went on board our Admiral, where all the Captaines resolved to go on shore next morning for what provisions we could find, especially of wood (whereof there is plenty), and fresh water if we could find any. Next morning our Capt. and I and two of our Gentlemen passengers went on shore in the yale[220] betimes, before any of the other Commanders appear’d. We landed at a spot where it was plain ground and an open place, and therefore free from Ambuscades. Immediately came down an old Greek from the top of the mountain in a poor patch’t habit, in a thick coarse jacket, a woollen shirt, with no stockings nor shoes, but onely some pieces of a raw hide of an oxe or bull wer laced[221] on to the soales of his feet with the hair side inwards, which I suppose never go of till time and rottennesse separate them. With these his feet are so plyable that he can easily go up or down a rock which our shoes will not suffer us to do, at least with that dexterity. Old Hesiod was born not very far from hence, and I thought we had had one of his old acquaintance risen from the dead and come to us, his coat and socks and shirt being exactly in his Boetian fashion. He had a skul cap on, border’d with a Lambskin, which he pull’d off, and came boldly to us. We had a native Greek in our boates crew, and he was our Interpreter, for I spoke as good school Greek to him as I could in our pronunciation, but my language seem’d as perfect gibberish to him as his did to me. We askt for Flesh: Sheep, bullocks, goates, and the like. He told us they were all driven of the Island the day before, for they took us for Africans and Enemyes, seing us lying so long upon their coast. We askt for water. He told us there was none but what was preserved from the rain in hollow basins in the Rocks, which he directed us to; and I afterwards tasted of it, and found it good. There are no people who continually live there, but they come from the continent to till the ground, which lyes on the edges of the mountain round by the Sea, and had good corn then growing on it; they likewise bring sheep and other cattel sometimes from the main land to feed here. We asked him if he could procure any cattel or other necessaryes to be brought over for our money. He said he would go and informe his friends, and see what he could do; he doubted not but we might have something; in the meantime he shew us where we might try for water. He answer’d all along with such a show of innocent simplicity as we were much pleased with him; and I gave him a Tunbridge knife which I had in my pocket, and everyone likewise gave him something, which he received with a wonderfull submissive reverence, and promising us a very grateful returne of our kindnesse, away he went, running directly up the mountain. By this time all the other Commanders (except Capt. Wild) and a great many of their men were come on shore. Most of them brought fire Armes with them, and in all we might then make about a hundred Firelocks. All the Captaines strictly commanded their men not to stir far from the shore; and our Captain, to make us more wary, told us that in the year (as I remember) 1664 our general ships passing by here for Turkey came to an Anchor, and many went on shore on the mainland there, whereof thre worthy merchants and six or seven others were snapt by the natives, who lay in wait for them, and it cost them 1,600 dollars for their redemption. The Turkes call that part of Peloponnesus (as well as all Thrace) Romania; and from that word (by an Aphaeresis) these wicked people are called Maniotes (as the inhabitants of Smyrna, Scio, Cyprus, Candia, are called Smyrniotes, Sciotes, Cypriotes, Candiotes, and the like elsewhere). These who live upon the Rocks and mountaines by the Sea are a sort of lawlesse people, and the Turkes themselves cannot govern them or reduce them into any good order. These miscreant wretches lye constantly watching upon the Rocks and Mountaines, not so much to secure themselves from the injuryes of Pirates as themselves to Thieve and rob whome they can catch, and all the Christian Passengers which they can seise on the shore they sell to the Turkes to serve in their Galleys or otherwise as slaves; and I have been assured that if they can conveniently spirit away Turkes themselves they will serve even them in like manner, and sell them for slaves to any Christian who will be their chapman.[222] There was a fawning cunning varlet came to those Gentlemen then, and pretended to procure them all manner of provisions which they could desire, but betray’d them then, as this vile wretch did us now. I could not but call to mind old Sinon in Virgil,[223] for our Cheat seem’d to pretend to the very same motto: Poor, but very honest. Believe me, Greeks are Greeks still; for falsenesse and treachery they still deserve Iphigenia’s character of them in Euripides,[224] Trust them and hang them, or rather hang them first for sureness. We kept in little bodys near the shore, where there were small thickits of Juniper and mirtles with their berrys then ripe, and we had excellent sport in killing Fieldfares and Thrushes, and such other birds, which were there at feed in great abundance. Some went towards the Sandhills, where was store of game in little plashes made by the sea-water, which was cast in there by winds and stormes. After we had sported our selves a while with shooting in these thickets and Plashes,[225] two or thre of our Commanders invited me to a Collation, and as we were set in the shade under some pieces of rocks, we saw several of our men (notwithstanding all the Captaine’s commands, and our Captaine’s History) struggling up the Mountain. One was habited something like our Captain, and, at a distance, appear’d indeed to be him; whereupon some Gentlemen coming by us would by all meanes have tempted my Curiosity to have follow’d them, but our Captaine’s lecture at our coming on shore had stir’d up such wary apprehensions and jealous reflections in my mind, as I could not possibly be persuaded that it was he; and the Captaines there with me were in a very great rage to see such inconsiderate people running into that danger. No sooner had these gentlemen left us but we hear’d thre or four guns go of upon the Mountain; and, looking up, we saw some of the Straglers posting down in wonderful haste; and presently appear’d several Men brandishing their cutlasses or Cimitars, and making them glitter against the Sun. We immediately rose, and went to the body of our Company to hear what was the matter. It happen’d that five or six gentlemen had got some seamen with them, and away they had ventur’d up the mountain. The Gentlemen (I know not whether it was by good Fortune or Policy) were hindermost, and just as their Vanguard was got on the brow of the other side the Mountain, up rose about a dozen Rogues, who had layn sculking there in the thickets, and ran upon them. They being scatter’d abroad, and not near one another by fourty or fifty yards or more, at this surprise fired upon the Rogues without doing any execution (perhaps most of them were charg’d only with small shot). So soon as their fire was over, the Rogues came more boldly on, though armed onely with half Pikes and Cutlasses. Our Seamen, who had not in the least considered to make good their retreat, threw down their Armes, and betook themselves to their heels. But our gentlemen had the start of them, and so, God be thanked, these all escaped, though very narrowly, all coming down without their Armes, most without their Hats, some with but a piece of a Shoe, their feet and leggs being battered and torne, and their bodyes bruised with rushing through the Shrubs and jumping down prœcipices, for they came right forward, thinking the shortest way was best. Four of the poor Seamen were taken—two of the Mary and Martha’s men, one of the Levant Merchant, and a fourth of the Tho. and Francis, whome they first had slightly wounded in the face, then they seised him and tyed his hands behind him, and left him with thre Rogues to guard him. These drove him before them, and because he often linger’d and offer’d to stop, they pricked him forward in the back, and wounded him in several places with their half pikes. The poor man was a very stout fellow and a good wrastler, and feeling the thing which bound his hands something loose, slipt his right hand out, and, with great courage and presence of mind, turn’d upon the Rogues, who were uselesse, and thought they had him safe. With this advantage, he ran the first quite over, and struck up the heels of the second; the third (who was a little behind the other) made a blow at him with his Cimitar, which he saved from his head with his lefte arme, and lay’d hold of the weapon with his right hand. The Rogue, drawing it a little back, cut the poor fellow’s hand badly. Yet this saved him from a second stroke, for he being something under the Rogue, he struck him up hand and foot, and before the other two could come at him, away he came. The great concerne which he had for his dear life and dearer liberty added something more then natural vigour to his leggs, and as much lightnesse to his heels. At last he got to us, and told us all that had past. There were, in another place, two of our seamen (one the native Greek) who made a very soldjere-like retreat. As they straggled from us, they kept together, and, out of a thicket, up start five or six Maniotes, and made towards them. They, standing together, presented their Muskets (resolving not to fire but to good purpose, and therefore not till they were very near). Down the Rogues dropt again. The Seamen retreated; they again follow’d. The Seamen presented again, and they again squatted down. Our Greek at last spoke to them, and told them to keep of in their own language; at which they stopt, and so these two retired leasurely and safely to us. After some debate what we ought to do, we all in a body were marching up the mountain to rescue our men; but Captain Wild, being all this while on board, and observing all which had happened, thought we were not strong enough; and, therefore, firing a great shot over us, call’d us back; and sometime after came all his soldiers on shore well armed; and then Mr. Day (his Lieutenant), a brave stout man, marshall’d us all, and put us in order: and away he led us up the mountain. But when we arrived, we saw we were come too late; for all the Rogues had crost the water in their bootes, and were just landing on the Main, and with our glasses we could discover our poor Captives amongst them, bound. The Lieutenant was earnest for bringing our boates about and going to them, for they appear’d in all much short of a hundred men. Our Captaines, though all brave men, were utterly against that, for being, by their Charter-party, bound to ply their Voyage, they could not tell how they could answer such an adventure, for we knew not what event our landing on the main land in a Hostile manner might produce, so some of them came back presently; but the Lieutenant and the rest rambled all over the Island, where they saw not one man left, nor found so much as one house. Here and there were Coves, in which they found some tatter’d cloths, and a few poor utensils; as likewise a sack of meal, and good store of onions and such-like very mean booty. I hardly believe that this Maniotes do ever bring any cattle hither (though our honest Sinon told us they did), or, at least, they feed them on the other side the Mountain, and not in view, for fear of African or other Pirates, who would sweep them of. They onely come here to till the ground and reape the corne, and now and then to make such Ambuscades as these; and very slender provisions will serve them upon these occasions. Some of our men, as they march’t, found some Hats, swords, pistols, and such like (it seems uselesse) baggage, which our first Myrmidons had discreetly scattered in their retreat. At last all came down, and we went on board, much lamenting our sad misfortunes, and all concluded that if we had proceeded on at our first march, and not staid for Captain Wild’s souldiers, we had certainly rescued our men, and perhaps sufficiently chastised those Sons of Belial. After some little conference with all the Captaines, we joyntly agreed to contribute to their ransome, and everyone setting down their good will, we had that night subscribed about 1,500 dollars, the poorest seaman giving one. Next morning the Admiral sent out his boat, and we went in ours with white flags of Truce round the Island, but not one man appeared to treat with us, or to take the least notice of us. Wherefore the money was collected and deposited in the Consul’s hands at Smyrna, and, about two yeares after, the poor slaves were found in the galleys and redeemed, though they proved most ungrateful wretches, for I heard that when they got into England they offered to sue their Captains for their wages, which they pretended was due to them for all that time.
Nov. 17. At noon we weigh’d Anchor, and with the wind at S.S.E. and S.E. we turn’d out between Cerigo and C. St. Angelo. Next day being entered the Arches,[226] we staid for the Levant Merchant, and dined there.
Nov. 19, Saturday. We had very much rain all the day, and all the following night. The wind to E. to S.E., we got nothing of our way, but with much ado we kept our own. This ill weather continued for the most part till Nov. 21 about noon. That Evening we saw 4 sail in Argentiera[227] bay, one with a flag at the Topmast head. We could not tell who they were; if friends, we had no reason to fear them; if foes, they certainly feared us. We past between Milo and Antimilo; between Serfon and Sifanto[228]; between Tino and Micono; between Scio and Ipsera.[229] And Nov. 23, in the morning, we got past C. Calaberro (or, as our seamen call it, C. Tobbernose), from the true Turkish word Caraburnes[230] (black nose or black snout), where mill stones were cut out, so call’d, I suppose, from the black rock out of which they were taken. And if there be yet such a black quarry there, I should conclude that the Turkes also nam’d it black Nose from thence. We went on with a fair gale at W.N.W., but the Admiral and the Speedwell running more in to the shore, was becalm’d and left a stern. At 2 afternoon we came up to the Castle, where lay without the port of Smyrna two Holland men of war. We saluted the Admiral with thre guns, and he return’d us thre. Our English Merchants came on board us, and at five o’clock we came to Anchor at Smyrna, and saluted the Port with seven guns. I went on shore, and lay at Mr. James Adderley and Mr. Nath. Thurston and Mr. Jon. Prideaux their house, where I was most courteously and nobly entertained. The Assurance staid without the Castle, and the Speedwell came not in till the next day. None of our men of war must go into any of the Turkish Ports so far as to be commanded by any of their Castles. It seems that the Turks formerly have been very insolent, and have laid an Imbargo or Arest upon some of our men of war which were in Port, and, as I have been told, have made use of them in the last Candia Warre; to prevent which inconvenience for the future, our men of war alwayes lye without the Castles. And several French men of war in my time came up to Constantinople, and lay at Anchor there sometime, and great embroil was like to have happened thereupon about a Knight of Malta who escaped, of which more elsewhere.
Rambling about the Town, one of our passengers, who had lived at Smyrna before, caryed me to a rich Turkes house, who was one of his old acquaintance. I think they call’d him Eusine Chabbey, a very courteous man, and friendly to all our Nation. They told me that he once invited them all at the cutting or circumcision of one of his sons, and treated them very generously. We found him at Supper, and he very earnestly prest us to sit down, which we did, Taylor like, crosse leg’d, for we saw neither chair nor stool, nor anything else but the floor cover’d with carpets. We tasted of his cheer, which was good, plain, wholesome food. All things being so quite different from our own way of living did very much surprise me with wonder and delight. But of Turkish entertainments and other customes I shall give a large account more conveniently elsewhere.
Novemb. 26. Our Consul, the worthy Sir Paul Ricaut,[231] treated us at his country house, which was six or seven miles out of Town, in a village called Sedjagui; I was told the right Turkish name is Seghiahkioi, as much as Strangeham. It seems the word Kioi in Turkish signifies a Hamlet or Village, and therefore it is made the termination of country villages very frequently, as our ham is in English names, and it is pronounced something near the work qui, so in Bailgradqui, Hosqui, Ortaqui, and infinite more everywhere. Several of our nation have likewise houses of retirement there, as also the Dutch Consul, Jaques von Dam, and others of that nation then had. It is a very pleasant and convenient place for divertisement, especially in summer. I took much notice of an old Coffe man there, who was an Afionjè (or Ophiunjè), a great eater of Opium. He seem’d much above 60 yeares old, and told us that in a morning till he had taken a little dose, as much as a half nut or more, he had no strength to get up, or to raise or turne himself in his bed; but after it, he had vigour, briskness enough to do anything. He was very lean, the flesh, or rather the skin of his cheeks, hanging like Spanish leather; and he had very oft (almost every minute) a strange kind of spasme in the muscles of his breast, or a jerking motion like those who have a strong Hickock.
Nov. 30. Some of this generous Factory designing to accompany several gentlemen, their friends (which now came from England), to Ephesus, were pleased to admit me into their caravan, and my very kind friends where I lodged accoutred me and furnisht me out with their own Janisary and everything necessary for that Journey. We were, in all, about two or three and twenty, all very well provided with horses and armes. That night we lay at a country town, call’d by our Europeans Jamovasy, but I am told its true Turkish name was Jaman bakgia, or bachi, that is, terrible garden; it is about four miles beyond Sedjaqui. It is a pretty large town with several Moscheas in it, which are all shaded with tall Cypruses and some pines, whose verdure at some distance seems very stately and very pleasant. From thence we went through a plain for six or eight miles somewhat wet or moorish (which, I suppose, might happen from the rains falling on either side from the mountains, and staying there, where it was but narrow). It was spread with Agnus castus in great plenty, which I have often observed to love such a moist soil; there was nothing then on the boughs but their seed, which was very good, and of a stronger smell then that with us. Next we came to firme sandy ground, fill’d with Oakes (without any underwood), like some of our parks. They were all short, snoggy trees, much loaded with boughs; I saw not one good piece of Timber amongst them. Then we ascended a rocky mountain, not continued smooth at top, but broken into many and deep dales, for the most part cover’d with several sorts of middle-sized trees, with shrubs amongst them; the way both going up and going down was filled with loose stones, being very difficult, yet our horses had been used to such places, and caryed us very safely on. This road is very dangerous by reason of Thieves, who lurk in the thickets and dens that are upon it. Many people lay buryed here and there who had been murdered and slain, and many bones of men lay scattered above ground. We often saw several people at a distance peeping at us, and one came and joyn’d himself with us for a mile or two, and then stole away from us; we thought it was for no good end, but we were too numerous and strong for them to venture on us. This mountain is now called Aliman, and all our former Travaylers take it for the Antient Mimas, and my good friend Dr. Pickering[232] would needs have the very word Aliman jumbled from Almiman.